Former Red Sox Reliever Sums up in One Tweet Why MLB Players Don't Want Further Pay Cuts
By Michael Luciano
Tampa Bay Rays lefty Blake Snell became the dartboard for almost all MLB fans desperate for games to start back up, as he claimed that he would rather sit out the entire season than play games if he is asked to take another pay cut.
A millionaire not willing to play for chump change has some fans rightfully angry, but former Boston Red Sox reliever Pat Light tried to put those comments into context, all the while taking shots at fans who criticize players that don't want to play despite multiple rounds of pay cuts.
"Hey, go risk your life for me and my friends to be able to watch you play"
— Pat Light (@Pat_Light) May 14, 2020
"Ok"
"Also, take a 50% pay cut"
"Ok"
"Also, take an additional 33% pay cut"
"No"
"You're so selfish and greedy"
Light himself owns multiple restaurants and is struggling to pay rent and keep employees on payroll, so he understands the dire financial situations so many Americans are in right now.
Snell might be making millions, but he could jeopardize his career and, potentially, his life by playing in these games, and Light is urging fans to understand the risk/reward aspect of this situation.
1000%. Would never ask you to feel bad for him. But you need to understand his position. Risk/Reward is how we all make decisions and for some guys the reward is not there to take on the risk. If you had 30 million in the bank and were in line to make another 30 in your career...
— Pat Light (@Pat_Light) May 14, 2020
Light isn't necessarily advocating for games to come back this very moment, nor is he being defeatist and accepting that the 2020 season is a lost cause. Instead, he's showing how Snell's seemingly outrageous claims of refusing to play make sense when viewed within the context of a labor dispute between owners and players.